65 - Unplugging from the Past - What the Baltic Synchronisation means for Europe, with Christoph Malzer
In this episode, Marine Cornelis hosts Christoph Malzer, Business Development Manager at Navitasoft, to discuss one of the most significant shifts in European energy history: the Baltic synchronisation. On 8 February 2025, Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania officially disconnected from Russia’s BRELL system, marking the end of their reliance on Russian-controlled electricity operations and fully integrating into the European grid.
This transition took 18 years of planning and €1.6 billion in investment, with the goal of strengthening European energy security. But beyond infrastructure and technical success, the real challenge is public trust. As disinformation campaigns attempt to paint the shift as a risk to stability and affordability, the question remains: how do we ensure the public stays on board?
Highlights:
🔌 Breaking Free from Russia – What does the Baltic synchronisation mean for European energy independence, and how did it happen?
⚡ Balancing the Grid in a New Era – With volatile renewables replacing Russian baseload power, how will Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania ensure grid stability?
💰 The Price of Independence – While the estimated cost impact is minimal (~€1 per month per household), Russia has spread disinformation suggesting soaring prices and blackouts. How do we counteract these narratives?
🗣️ Public Trust is Key – Marine was the only policy expert in the room during a panel discussion on the transition, highlighting how public engagement is often missing from technical conversations. Without trust, even the best-designed projects face resistance.
📉 The Energy Trilemma in Action – The synchronisation is a case study in balancing security, sustainability, and affordability. It worked remarkably well, but ongoing efforts are needed to keep consumer confidence high.
Why It Matters:
The Baltic synchronisation isn’t just about cutting ties with Russia—it’s about proving that European energy independence can work for people, not just markets. The next few months will be crucial in ensuring that this transition remains a success, keeping energy affordable, reliable, and resilient against disinformation.
🎧 Listen now to hear how this shift unfolded, what it means for the future of European energy, and what lessons we can learn from it.
Energ' Ethic goes out every other week.
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Music: I Need You Here - Kamarius
Edition: Podcast Media Factory
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